Planning and Constructing Coastal TracksConsiderationsThere is a great difference between planning coastal tracks andgreat-circle tracks. Coastal tracks often require more attention todangers and shoals. Normally coastal navigation may be defined as anyship operating within 50 nmi of a coastline. Often there are manyshoals or dangers which must be avoided. Lets look at a real worldexample.Ships departing Norfolk for southern OPAREAs often depart the trafficseparation scheme of Chesapeake Bay and steer on a SE heading.Careful attention must be paid to this route due to shallow water andsubmerged obstructions up to about 25 nmi from the coast in manyplaces. Also, hazards to navigation when turning south around CapeHatteras are too numerous to mention.The point of this discussion is to make clear the dangers of coastalnavigation. The following rules apply to coastal track construction.Rules:Always review all applicable coast pilots and sailing directionsbefore laying down tracksCheck the proposed track thoroughly for dangers. Never allow thetrack to pass within 5 nmi of any danger.Highlight all coastal aids to navigationHighlight any shoals, towers, OADS buoys, or other obstructions.Use the best scale of chart available for any area the ship transits.Use the following table to construct coastal tracks:StepAction1.Choose points from a small scale mercator chart that covers theentire area the ship will transit. Draw lines for tracks and label.2.Transfer track to the best scale coastal charts available.3.Check each leg of the transit for dangers.4.Determine SOA and label each chart with PIM.5.Apply all rules making sure to highlight shoal water, dangers,and NAVAIDs.12-6